This invention relates generally to fiber optic cable management within an area such as a telecommunications central office, headend for fiber optic television cable, or wiring closet, and more particularly to a cable connector plate and method for operatively interconnecting ends of fiber optic cable. Connector plates of the type according to the present invention are typically located inside cable management cabinets mounted on vertical racks and having access openings for receiving and distributing fiber optic cable. Fiber optic cable exiting the cabinet is generally routed through a raceway assembly, such as described in Applicant's copending application Ser. No. 09/220,267. The complete disclosure of this application is incorporated herein by reference.
According to one prior art cable connector plate described in U.S. Patent No. 4,824,196, a number of cable adapters are carried by a base and arranged in a single row at identical angles relative to the front and rear of the cabinet such that the cables connect to the plate in precise optical alignment. A connector plate of this construction provides for convenient cable interconnection and reduces the bend radius for fiber optic cable connecting to the rear side of the plate from one comer of the cabinet, and connecting to the front side of the plate and extending towards a diagonally opposed corner of the cabinet. Because the angle of each of the adapters is the same, however, the plate will actually substantially increase the cable bend radius for certain ends of cable connecting to the plate in other areas of the cabinet.
The present invention addresses this and other problems of the prior art by providing a cable connector plate which has adapters arranged at variable angles in order to accommodate ends of cable connecting to the plate from any location within the cabinet. The invention allows use of a maximum amount of space inside the cabinet while maintaining the industry minimum bend radius requirement for fiber optic cable.